Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Veep" received a record-breaking sixth Emmy Award as best comedy series actress, using her victory to take a dig at GOP contender Donald Trump in a ceremony loaded with election-year asides.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to personally apologize for the current political climate," she said. "I think that 'Veep' has torn down the wall between comedy and politics. Our show started out as a political satire but it now feels more like a sobering documentary."

Sarah Paulson won the Emmy Award for best actress in a limited series for her role in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story."

It was Paulson's first Emmy win and came for her portrayal of prosecutor Marcia Clark, who endured widespread criticism as she tried to convict NFL legend O.J. Simpson of double murder under the glaring spotlight of the so-called "Trial of the Century."

The ceremony started out with an political edge. In a video bit, Jimmy Kimmel was shown trying to get to the ceremony and encountering former GOP presidential contender Jeb Bush as a limo driver.

"Did you know you could make $12 an hour working for Uber?" a game Bush said, smiling. He advised Kimmel that "if you run a positive campaign, the voters will ultimately make the right choice"— then told Kimmel curtly it was a joke.

On the red carpet, Judith Light was being fully transparent when she told bleacher fans how difficult it is to walk a red carpet in heels.

"I can't walk, but thanks," the actress, nominated for her role in a comedy series for Amazon's "Transparent," said as she responded to shouts and cheers from fans in the red-carpet bleachers.

Jeffrey Tambor, who plays her transgender ex-spouse and is vying to repeat as best comedy actor, shared serious words about the series.

It's "changing the landscape of television. I think it's changing the landscape, period," he said.

If the stars looked especially hot this year, the mercury was involved: Temperatures were in the 90s. Fans who waited hours for celebrities to arrive had the worst of it, with one women requiring treatment by paramedics.

For this year's awards, Golden Globe-winning "Mr. Robot," a conspiracy thriller about a troubled hacker, is vying for the top drama series award and best actor honors for star Rami Malek.

Biting political satire "Veep" is seeking its second consecutive best comedy series award, and bleak political drama "House of Cards" is looking for its first major win, as are its stars, Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.

A sitcom that has aggressively taken on issues including use of the "N-word" and police brutality, "black-ish" is up against "Veep" for top comedy honors in a field that also includes "Master of None," ''Modern Family," ''Silicon Valley," ''Transparent" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."